Vehicle passenger restraint systems include one or more sensors that detect events that may require deployment of a restraint. Currently known sensor systems incorporate localized sensors, which each may include an acceleration sensor and a signal measurement and filtering device. Each localized sensor also includes a processor that evaluates the acceleration sensor output according to an algorithm to determine whether the output reflects a crash or other event requiring restraint deployment. If so, the module initiates a fire request to deploy a restraint. The restraint itself can be any type of restraint, such as an airbag.
Although localized sensors are able to detect events that may warrant restraint deployment, a given localized sensor is unable to detect events occurring at other vehicle locations. The sensor therefore makes its firing decision based solely on information that it obtains from one limited area of the vehicle. It is therefore possible for a restraint to be deployed even if the event detected by the sensor does not warrant deployment. Without data from any other points in the vehicle, there is no way for the localized sensor to evaluate the plausibility that a given fire request is actually due to a crash. Further, there is no way to confirm a crash occurrence from a single localized sensor.
There is a desire for a restraint system that improves confidence in a decision to deploy a restraint.